The present invention relates to compositions for controlling plant and flower moisture transpiration rates and thereby providing a means for extending the time in which plants and cut flowers can be utilized in aesthetic displays or floral arrangements.
Flowers have been inextricably linked to human culture since antiquity. Flowers have come to represent various aspects of life and to represent various facets of the human condition. As symbols of our society they speak directly. Flowers are never out of place regardless of the circumstances, inter alia, births, funerals, weddings, memorials.
Humans have cultivated and propagated flowers solely for their aesthetic value since most flowers are inedible. Incunabula describe various techniques for cutting and preserving flowers, inter alia, oriental flower varnishing, dipping blossoms into waxes or wax-like solutions. Contemporary practices include fashioning artificial flowers and blossoms from synthetic material, most notably polymers. However, all of these methods for preserving flowers, or attempts at flower imitation, fails to reproduce or replace the freshness of newly cut flowers.
The prior art has attempted to provide methods of preserving cut flowers in a fresh state, but the means are inadequate to provide flowers in a nearly original state for an enhanced period of time, for example, two to five times the expected period of use.
There is, therefore, a long felt need to provide the consumer or the grower of flowers which are to be cut and displayed for aesthetic purposes, with a system with significantly extends the duration in which the cut flowers maintain their original appearance.
The present invention meets the aforementioned needs in that it has been surprisingly discovered that cut flowers can be preserved in a nearly original state for an extended period of time, in fact, in some instances a period which eclipses their aesthetic utility. It has been surprisingly discovered that by controlling the plant and flower moisture transpiration rates flowers can be cut and displayed without the pejorative effects of natural demise (senescence), inter alia, wilting (epinasty) or loss of petals, browning or discoloration of flower parts. This post-harvest viability can be suitably established by effectively applying a moisture vapor barrier which itself does not contribute to diminished plant aesthetic value, i.e., petal burning or browning.
Flowers are ubiquitous in that they can adapt to environmental or ecological stresses. For example, during times of drought or other circumstances of water deprivation, flowers regulate their growth thereby attenuating the effects which moisture deprivation stress has on their viability. This ability to self regulate their growth cycle ameliorates many of the pejorative consequences of water deprivation on flower survival. Once flowers are cut during harvesting, the natural regulatory systems, inter alia, respiration, water regulation, are abated. It has been surprisingly discovered that an artificial level of viability can be maintained by applying a composition which controls the loss of plant tissue moisture via transpiration/evaporation.
The first aspect of the present invention relates to a composition for controlling plant and flower moisture transpiration, said composition comprising:
a) from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight, of a homopolymer of copolymer comprising monomers having the formula: 
wherein each R1 is independently hydrogen, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 alkoxy, phenyl, substituted phenyl, benzyl, substituted benzyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, and mixtures thereof; R2 is hydrogen, halogen, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 alkoxy, phenyl, substituted phenyl, benzyl, substituted benzyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, and mixtures thereof; X is hydrogen, hydroxyl, halogen, xe2x80x94(CH2)mCH2OH, xe2x80x94(CH2)mCOR, xe2x80x94(CH2)mCH2OCORxe2x80x2, wherein R is xe2x80x94ORxe2x80x2, xe2x80x94N(Rxe2x80x2)2, xe2x80x94(CH2)nN(Rxe2x80x2)2, and mixtures thereof; each Rxe2x80x2 is independently hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C2-C8 hydroxyalkyl, xe2x80x94(CH2)nN(Rxe2x80x3)2, and mixtures thereof; wherein Rxe2x80x3 is independently hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, and mixtures thereof; the index m is from 0 to 6, the index n is from 2 to 6;
b) from about 0.01% to about 5% by weight, of a surfactant; and
c) the balance carriers and adjunct ingredients.
The compositions of the present invention can be applied to the surface of cut plants or flowers by any means appropriate, for example, the flowers may be dipped into a solution, or the composition may be delivered via spray. The presence or the lack of a propellant to deliver said composition has no effect on the ability of the compositions to effectively and evenly coat the surface of the plant regardless of plant morphology.
These and other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description and the appended claims. All percentages, ratios and proportions herein are by weight, unless otherwise specified. All temperatures are in degrees Celsius (xc2x0C.) unless otherwise specified. All documents cited are in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference.